Obesity and their associated metabolic and liver diseases are a global problem. In the Western world, obesity has become a most pressing health problem, with over 20% of the population effected. In America 65% of adults (127 million) are overweight or obese and healthcare costs for obesity and obesity-related conditions are estimated to amount to $100 billion.
The problem is growing in Europe. In the UK about 43% of men and 34% of women are overweight with a further 22% of men and 23% of women being clinically obese. There is a rising level of premature obesity in children and obesity is increasing in the developing world.
Anti-obesity medicines are usually divided into categories by mechanisms of action, namely those which:                (1) Reduce the feeling of hunger or suppress appetite through the central brain;        (2) Inhibit fat absorption through affecting the digestive system;        (3) Increase the energy consumption through capillary ending mechanism; and        (4) Stimulate the metabolic function of the capillary ending of adipose tissues to decrease the fat quantity or reduce synthesis of triglyceride.        
Sibutramine and Orlistat are two anti-obesity drugs approved by the America FDA. These two drugs have the largest market shares in weight-loss medicines in the world.
The applicant has sought a natural solution to the problem of obesity.
Although Yang et al (Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation, 21 Aug. 2005 Vol. 9, No. 31) observed that a decoction (water extract) of Cassia-seed inhibited the weight gain, in rats with nutritional obesity, the active compounds or fraction of Cassia seeds which related to the activity of inhibiting the weight gain has not previously been identified.
Other prior art includes:
J. Natural products, 1990, Vol. 53, No. 3, pp. 630-633 which discloses a hexane extraction followed by a methanolic fractionation of Cassia seeds to obtain sub-fractions which showed activity as inhibitors of platelet aggregation. The three active fractions contained respectively gluco-obtusifolin, gluco aurantio-obtusifolin and gluco-chrysobtusin.
CN1733679 which discloses a method of extracting anthroquinone analog compounds from Cassia seeds. The compounds extracted are anti-hyperglycemic ingredients.
JP0214915 discloses aldose reductase inhibitors containing anthraquinone compounds used in treating complications in diabetes.
Arch. Pharm. Res. Vol. 19, No. 4, p 302-306, 1996 discloses NMR assignments of anthraquinones isolated from Cassia tora. 
J Chinese Medicinal Materials, 2004, vol. 24 pp. 758-764 discloses a water extract of Cassiae seeds. It reports that obese rats showed weight loss, and metabolism of glucose and lipid.
International Journal of Obesity, 2000, vol. 24, pp. 758-764 discloses an extract CT-II of Cassia mimosoides L var nomame showed an inhibitory effect on lipase. The extract was a fraction of an aqueous ethanolic extract.
J. Traditional Chinese Med, 1995, vol. 15, no. 3 pp. 178/9 discloses a trial of a 5 herb mix including Cassia Tora in the treatment of hyperlipemia. The mix was shown to reduce serum cholesterol and triglycerides as well as bodyweight.
Progress in nutrition, 4, 2, 147-150, 2002 reports on a trial of Chitosano and Cassia Noname var Mimosoides on obese patients.
BE 1009545 discloses food supplements for slimming purposes comprising a combination of at least three vegetable extracts from a selection of seven, one of which is senna pods (Cassia sp).
The applicant has identified Chinese Cassia seeds as a promising candidate and has, for the first time, carried out systematic studies on Cassia seeds in accordance with the regulatory requirements of the Chinese Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) in the following areas:
1. Botany and Pharmacognosy
2. Phytochemistry
3. Pharmacology and Toxicology
4. Pharmaceutical processes
5. Analytical chemistry
6. Pharmaceutics
The botanical terms used herein are intended to have the meanings as used by the FDA in their directive “Guidance for Industry—Botanical Drug Products” (June 2004) which directive is incorporated by reference. It will, however, by understood by persons skilled in the art that in different countries different terminology may be used. Reference to the FDA guidance terminology is used for consistency and should not be taken to be limiting. Thus, differing but equivalent terms used by, for example, the CFDA or EMEA in their Guidelines on Quality of Herbal Medicinal Products/Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products (CHMP/THMP adopted March 2006), will be understood by the skilled person to be encompassed by the terms used herein.